SIR: The recent Ogun State council poll which produced 20 local government chairmen and 236 councillors could best be described as having put democracy to the test. The election of all the candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) into the 20 local government offices wasn’t the basis for excitement, but the generally acceptable campaign trail of the Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, into all the council areas during the two-week electioneering campaign. With the attendant wild jubilation and excitement that greeted the inspection of the various completed and ongoing projects, the dividends of democracy has actually been taken to the doorsteps of the people of the state. Like Oliver Twist, it was another rare occasion that afforded Mr. Governor the opportunity to meet with the people, listen to their various complaints and requests, and to disclose his planned interventions – with more laudable projects to ameliorate living conditions in respective community.
Reminiscent of his inaugural speech on May 29, 2019, the Dapo Abiodun administration lays emphasis on how to upgrade, rehabilitate, repair and restructure both township and rural roads that are of economic benefits. The administration is not sectional in its approach to qualitative and balanced governance; and with the current reality on ground, it has demonstrated fairness in the sharing of equitable distribution of resources across the three senatorial districts (Ogun West, Ogun Central and Ogun East) that make up the state.
On close observation, the administration has made giant strides in various developmental projects that have impacted positively on the lives of the people. In the last seven months (January 2021 to June), it executed 54 road projects across the state, with Ogun Central taking the lion share of 29; Ogun West, 10 and Ogun East, 15, which attest to its commitment to ensure that no section or part of the state is developed at the expense of others. Without mincing words, Governor Abiodun has built trust through good road network across the state to enhance socio-economic growth and development.
However, the “Report of the Contract Review Committee” chaired by Mr Adekunle Mokuolu and submitted to Governor Abiodun on Tuesday, September 8, 2020, showed that the current administration would need more than N218billion to complete all the inherited abandoned projects that are spread across the three senatorial districts, resulting from the various contracts the administration of Otunba Gbenga Daniel (between 2009 and 2011) and his successor in office, Senator Ibikunle Amosun awarded between 2011 and 2019. A total of 114 contracts/ projects were awarded during the period (2009-2019) at a total cost of Three Hundred and Fourty Nine billion, Three Hundred and Seventy-Six Million, Nine Hundred and Ninety-Seven Thousand Naira and Seventy-Six Kobo (N349,376,997.76) only, while the total payment for the contracts/projects was One Hundred and Thirty Billion, Seven Hundred and Thirty-Five Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty-Eight Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty-Two Naira, Seventy-Five kobo (N130,735,758,922:75) only. The total amount for the unpaid Certificate of Valuation (CV) for work done stood at Twenty Billion, Seven Hundred and Forty-One Million, Six Hundred and Seventy-Five Thousand, Three Hundred and Eighty-Eight Hundred and Seventy-Six kobo (20,741,675,388:76) only.
In clear departure from the old practice of deceit that often characterised the polity, the present administration is not missing in action in making good its electoral promises on various completed projects which include Raypower, Navy-Osi-Ikola roads (Ado-Odo/Ota LGA), Fajol-Ajegunle-America Junction-Alogi road and American Junction-Unity Estate road, which cut across Abeokuta South and Odeda Local Government Areas, and as well, Ejirin-Mobalufon- Oluwalogbon road (Ijebu-Ode LGA) and Ilaro-Owode road (Yewa South LGA).
Not left out are Joju road (Ado-Odo/Ota LGA), Lantoro-Elite-Idi-Aba road (Abeokuta South LGA), beautification of NNPC Mega Station road (Abeokuta South LGA), Somorin-Kemta-Idi Aba Road (Odeda LGA), Imasayi-Igan Okoto-Ayetoro Road (Yewa North LGA), sectional rehabilitation of Papalanto-Ilaro road (Ewekoro LGA), the asphalting of Lafenwa-Rounder road (Abeokuta North LGA), palliative works along Sango junction-Ojuore road (Ado-Odo/Ota LGA) and the construction of City Gate monument at Sagamu Interchange (Obafemi-Owode LGA), construction of Journalists’ Estate, Arepo (Obafemi Owode LGA), the construction of an internal road linking Ifo General Hospital and renovation of Ifo Fire Station, rehabilitation of both Olowomore-Sanni and Olowomore-Brewery roads (both in Abeokuta North LGA), amongst others.
The beauty of democracy is at best when tax payers’ funds are judiciously and prudently expended on programmes and projects that the people see and which touch their lives.
- Femi Ogbonnikan, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
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